Pune: Sassoon General Hospital is grappling with a severe blood shortage, forcing patient relatives to seek blood bags from external sources. Amid this crisis, an invitation to a blood donation camp in the city center presented a potential solution. However, a new problem emerged: the hospital's ambulance had no diesel and no funds to procure it.

The hospital's blood bank reported having only 83 blood bags, barely a one-day supply, while the daily requirement is 70 to 80 bags. Ideally, the blood bank should maintain a four to five-day reserve. Due to the shortage, relatives are fetching blood bags from other blood banks.

A blood donation camp, organized by a local entity, was scheduled for Tuesday (July 15). It was expected to gather around 350 blood bags, to be evenly distributed among four blood banks, including Sassoon’s. This would have temporarily alleviated Sassoon’s shortage.

However, on Monday evening, it was discovered that there was no diesel for the ambulance to attend the camp, located just two kilometers away in Guruwar Peth. This led to a commotion, prompting the hospital administration to urgently allocate funds for diesel.

Sassoon Hospital has a designated petrol pump for its vehicles. If payments are delayed, diesel supply is halted. Blood bank officials typically cover the cost and get reimbursed later.

On Monday, confusion arose over who would pay, escalating the issue to the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Yallappa Jadhav, who ensured funds were provided. The diesel crisis has since been resolved, but questions about the last-minute rush remain.

Dr. Jadhav confirmed that the diesel issue for the ambulance has been resolved, ensuring participation in the crucial blood donation camp.